Nobody can have a copyright on a phrase: Cong on Rahul ad

January 25, 2014 11:20 am

Agencies, New Delhi
The Congress today dismissed criticism by the BJP of an advertisement starring Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi using a tagline that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi claimed he had coined three years ago.

The ad campaign, that appeared in today’s newspapers with the phrase ‘Main Nahin, Hum (Not I, we),’ was slammed by the BJP which alleged that the phrase had been coined by Mr Modi in 2011 for a ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Gujarat.

Talking to reporters here, AICC spokesperson Shobha Oza, replying to a question on the issue, said, ’’Congress doesn’t need to copy anyone. It sets the agenda that others copy. The Congress has always propagated the ideology of ‘we’, not ‘me’. It is the BJP which promotes ideology of ‘me’ not ‘we’.’’
Ms Oza said the Congress had always believed in the inclusive path of governance.

‘’Just because someone said something, they cannot have a copyright to the phrase. It does not become their personal property. More important than saying something is a party is able to translate it into reality,’’ she said.

Earlier, the BJP and Modi accused Mr Gandhi of copying his theme. While senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha termed the Congress ad as ‘copycat’, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said, ‘’Nakal ke liye Akal chahiye (Even imitation needs brains). The Congress hates Mr Modi but loves his slogan. Mr Gandhi can steal a slogan but where will he get Modi’s experience and the capacity to perform?’

Criticising the Congress, BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said, ’’lack of ideas is what is being shown here. They should give Modiji the credit for the tag line.’’